Which term refers to the different types of writing styles such as narrative, expository, or persuasive?

The term that refers to the different types of writing styles, such as narrative, expository, or persuasive, is the author's purpose. Understanding the author's purpose is crucial because it informs the style and approach taken in a piece of writing. Each writing style serves a distinct purpose: narrative writing tells a story, expository writing aims to explain or inform, and persuasive writing seeks to convince the reader of a particular viewpoint. By knowing the author’s purpose, readers gain insight into the type of writing they are engaging with and the techniques the author might use to convey their message effectively.

In contrast, audience refers to the intended readers of a text, which helps determine the author's purpose but does not itself classify the different writing styles. Dialogue tags are phrases used within text to attribute speech to a speaker, which pertains to the craft of writing dialogue rather than describing styles. Writing techniques encompass various methods and strategies an author may use within their writing but do not specifically categorize the overarching types of writing styles.